Rio Tinto's Argyle Diamond Mine, located around 3,000 kilometres from Perth, once produced around 90 per cent of the world's pink diamonds. Production at the site ceased in 2020 after nearly four decades, and in recent years the miner has worked to rehabilitate the site, with a plan to return the land to the Miriwoong and Gija traditional owners.
A recent report from ABC News has revealed that the traditional owners are not satisfied with the rehabilitation project so far. Gelganyem Limited chair Kia Dowell raised concerns about ‘forever chemicals’.
"As it stands now, traditional owners have confirmed that we are unwilling to accept a site that is contaminated with forever chemicals," she said.
"We will not accept the level of risk that has been created by a mining company in an authorising environment from the government."
She continued: "We want those profits to be reinvested into the country to ensure that my kids, their kids and so on can go to that country and interact with it the way that their ancestors used to be able to."
A Rio Tinto spokesperson said the company was working with traditional owners to develop a co-managed cultural heritage management plan.
"We understand the impact closure has on the community and we continue to work closely with traditional owners on the Argyle mine closure, seeking their feedback, embedding their perspectives, and ensuring cultural authority is respected throughout the process," the spokesperson said.
"The plan will set out how cultural heritage sites and values will be managed and monitored through shared decision-making, and support progress towards closure outcomes that traditional owners have identified."
Rio Tinto is expected to complete rehabilitation works at the site this year, after which a monitoring and maintenance program of at least 10 years will begin.
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